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My RowFaster 2k Erg Time Goal - Power to Weight Ratio

Author
Alex Fergus
Date
Aug 17, 2016
Categories
training
Content
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So if you read my About Page, it explains why I set up this blog. If you haven't - pretty much I set it up to share my journey to row faster..

Now what do I exactly mean by 'Rowing Faster'. Well that’s a great question, especially as I'm someone who loves quantifying data and experimenting (both which you'll see a lot of on this blog). So, since I don't even know when or if I'll be racing, I figured the best way to track my progress was by a traditional 2k erg time..

Since I haven’t really been training over the past 2 years, let alone rowing specific training, I thought ‘what is my benchmark’. If I did a 2k erg right now, I know I would easily be able to improve on this time in 1 month with the occasional training session.. so that isn’t the greatest marker.

 

Instead, I thought I’d compare my numbers to my ‘all-time best’ 2k times. Which were:

  • 6:34.0 Junior Lightweight - 2006 - 18 years old weighing less than 75kgs (Crash-B’s where I placed 7th in the Junior Men Lightweight race)

  • 6:26.0 Open Lightweight – 2007 – 20 years old. Weighing less than 75kg (Erg test with Hamilton Rowing Club)

This is me racing at the Crash B world indoor rowing champs. If I weighed in heavy I planned on shaving my hair!

 These two times were done 10 years ago, and when I was 20kg’s lighter (92kgs at the time of writing). So I don’t think it’s simply fair to say if I beat my old Personal Bests that I have improved, because I probably haven’t…

 

Enter Power to Weight Ratios

Running these lightweight values (let’s use the faster 6:26.0 time as that is my best) through Concept 2’s power to weight calculator (found here) gives me an:

Adjusted weight factor of 0.897

Adjusted Time of 05:46.2

 

Not too shabby!

 

New Goals

An Adjusted time of 5:46.2 at 85kgs (my expected race weight) requires me to pull a 6:15.5 2k erg time (adjusted weight factor of 0.922) That’s quick!

Considering that I’m wiser, stronger and more knowledgeable in regards to training now than I was 10 years ago, not to mention all the cutting edge supplements, recovery and diet tricks that I will be utilizing (and sharing with you here) I don’t really think equaling my old time is really an improvement.

 

Instead I want to IMPROVE. I want to Row Faster. So let’s go with an improvement goal of 5%.

That would make my new adjusted time target 5:28.9

Converting this back to my 85kg bodyweight would mean a time of 5:56.7

Ouch.

A sub 6minute 2k erg time. Looking at the Crash-B results from the past few years, a sub 6minute 2k time would put me in medal contention in the Mens Heavyweight Masters division (30-39 – I’m 29 at the time of writing). In fact, the 5:56.7 time would be the second fastest time in this division in the last 10 years…

So it’s a pretty lofty goal. No pressure huh!

But while I’m at it, I’ll work out a few other numbers in case my weight is different:

82.5kg - requires 5:59.1

85kg – requires 5:56.7

87.5kg – requires 5:54.4

90kg – requires 5:52.2

92.5kg – requires 5:49.8

95kg – requires 5:48.0

 

I’ve always liked the idea of breaking 6minutes. So it’s a pretty solid goal. Saying that, as I write this my memories associated with the pain of racing a PB 2k scare me… and those memories are nearly 10 years old. I foresee a lot of hurt in the coming few years!

If you want to know how I plan on achieving this, be sure to read this article - My Training Plan To Row Faster.

Be sure to subscribe below to follow my journey and see if I can hit my target goals. Also, if you have any feedback on power to weight ratios (especially with the concept 2 formula I have used) please leave it, or if you think a 5% improvement is too little etc. I’m not only running this blog to download my thoughts, but to create a discussion. So be sure to post whatever’s on your mind!

 

 

 

 

Alex Fergus
Author

Blogger, Athlete, Health Coach, Personal Trainer, Health Nerd... I'm in search of enhancing performance through optimising health, self experimentation, cutting edge science (and technology) and I share it all here at RowFaster.net! I also have a popular blog at www.AlexFergus.com

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